Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Julie Mayer
tel. no.: 020 7332 1410  Email: julie.mayer@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Alderman William Russell and from the Chairman, Simon Duckworth for late attendance.  The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Chairman, Mr Philip Woodhouse.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the Agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 November 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

The public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 21 November 2017 were approved.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Implementation of 'Bridging Divides'

A verbal update from the Chief Grants Officer.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

The Chief Grants Officer was heard in respect of the implementation of the City Bridge’ Trust’s ‘Bridging Divides’ Strategy, through which the City Bridge Trust (CBT) intends to consider the ways in which it can make the most positive impact on reducing inequality and creating cohesive communities. 

 

Members noted that the resourcing had been signed off by the Policy and Resources and Resource Allocation Sub Committees earlier in the year and the Strategy was now live.  Members would be contacted shortly in respect of training sessions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Central Grants Programme - Update and Next Steps pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Chief Grants Officer which provided an update and next steps in respect of the Central Grants Programme (CGP).  The report provided an outcome of the four CGP rounds delivered in 2017/18 and recent amendments to Education and Employment (approved by the Education Board). 

 

Members asked to be kept advised on the outcome of the new crowd funding platform run by Spacehive.  In respect of those applications to the City Corporation’s Relief of Poverty Charity, which did not meet the criteria, grants officers had been working with community and children’s services and comptroller and city solicitors’ officers to develop a suitable policy, consistent with the City Corporation’s duties as Trustees.    Members noted that the new Education Grants Policy permitted individual grants through schools and the grants officers had been working with education officers on marketing. 

 

Members noted that feedback was provided to unsuccessful applicants and they were advised of their potential eligibility for other programmes.  Members asked if they could be given a summary of information in respect of unsuccessful applicants, as they were concerned about any that might effectively ‘fall through the gaps’ and keen to maintain good relationships with applicants and potential applicants. The Senior Grants Officer advised that the team offered advice ahead of applications being submitted and ran workshops to ensure that potential applicants understand the criteria. 

 

RESOLVED, that:

 

1.         The Central Grants Programme progress update be noted.

 

2.         Policy and Resources approval to implement the Central Grants Programme and the Central Grants Unit on a permanent basis, from 1 April 2018, be noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the committee

Minutes:

There were no questions. 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

The Chief Grants Officer advised Members that, now the Central Grants Unit had been formalised, so too would the staffing arrangements.  To ensure a seamless transition, the current secondment to the team would be extended during the recruitment process.

 

The Chairman, who had arrived late for this meeting, thanked the Deputy Chairman for stepping in at short notice. 

 

Members noted that the Policy and Resources Committee had signed off the new Benefits in Kind Policy, which would go live on 1st April 2018.  All Chief Officers and recipients had been advised and Members would receive a report, with data collection, at the Autumn meeting of the Finance Grants Sub Committee. 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that:

 

Under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act

 

Item Nos                                             Para nos

 

9-11                                                     2 & 3

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Non Public Minutes

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Non-public questions on matters relating to the work of the Sub-Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

The Chief Grants Officer was heard while the public were excluded. 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.